The Test
by EJML-Isotope
Summary: "This test defines you. It sets your destiny. It shows whether you are ready for your true nature or whether you need another profession. It decides your fate. Once you start this test your fate is sealed along with your life. Life or death your futures set.."
1. Disaster stikes

**Disclaimer- I, unfortunately, do not own the Infernal Device series. That privilege belongs to no other than, Cassandra Clare.**

**Warning- No flaming, constructive criticism only!**

Chapter start!

Chapter 1- Disaster strikes.

Tessa POV.

My breath panted out of me in heavy gasps as I bent down to pull off my heeled shoes, my dress swishing around my ankles as I did so. Heels were just too annoying to run in. My dainty diamonds dazzled from my necklace as a beam of moonlight shone down onto me.

A loud bang brought my attention to the heavy wooden doors behind me, as they flew open to reveal Will charging out into the night. His jet-black hair glinted in the moonlight and even from the distance between us I could still see malice blazing from his ice blue eyes.

Smoke had started to gather across the garden, and it was so thick that I gagged and lurched forward violently. The smell getting deep into my lungs burning as it went.

I brought my head up, my straight brown hair swinging backwards as an icy breeze clawed at my face and ripped tears from my eyes.

I lashed out aggressively as a hand locked itself around my upper arm and wrenched me upwards.

"Cut it out idiot! Its me!" a voice hissed furiously in my ear.

I turned my head, my hair flying wildly, my cool grey eyes searching frantically as I looked for the source of the voice. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it was Will.

We stared at each other a moment, both panting heavily from running so fast moments ago. His eyes checked me over while mine grazed over him. We were both checking to see if the other was unharmed.

Suddenly, Will's eyes flicked over my shoulder and narrowed slightly. I knew instantly that whatever he saw wasn't good.

I spun around, gripping my elegant gown tightly in my hands as I searched the surroundings for anything menacing.

Through the smoke, I could make out an army.

"Demons." I gasped unnecessarily. Will had already figured that out.

We were largely outnumbered, and even with Will's and mine skill the outcome still looked bleak.

Suddenly, a dagger came shooting through the air with fatal accuracy and it was heading straight for me.

Will launched himself at me, his body connecting roughly with mine in order to shove me out of the way. The dagger zoomed past us, inches from my face, screaming as it went.

My head slammed against the ground, the gravel digging roughly into my cheek. My vision blurred as blackness danced round the edges of my vision.

"Will" I slurred. I knew he wouldn't be able to understand me, and I wanted to try to say it again, but I couldn't find my lips.

Every part of me felt heavy.

The darkness was threatening to close in around me completely. I fought stubbornly with my heavy lids, but I felt weak…tired…asphyxiated …

My head started pounding, unbearably painful. The darkness doesn't seem like such a bad place after all…

I lost my self then. Floating in between unconsciousness and flashbacks, desperately trying to keep track on what was in the present and what was from the past.

Chapter end!

**Review! Remember, no flames! This might not seem like the best chapter but it does get better. I promise. Give it time to warm up :)**

**Xxx**


	2. The Journey To The Meeting

**Thanks to those people who reviewed! **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Infernal Devices. I just own this particular plot.**

**Warning- No flames allowed.**

Chapter start.

Chapter 2- The journey to the meeting.

Tessa POV.

"Do come along Tessa! We would like to arrive at the party today, not next weekend!" Will, impatient as ever, hollers up the stairs.

"Oh shut up. I haven't taken that long." I snapped back at him from the top of the stairs.

If I was being honest, I was a little nervous of going downstairs dressed in this elaborate ball gown. It was red and poofy as it bunched out around my waist and flowed down to the floor. It was bunched up in rows with ruffles as it swished around my ankles. It had an extremely low neckline and no back to it and it also had off the shoulder sleeves, which were also poofy.

I had red 4-inch heeled shoes on, along with a red garter and skind coloured stockings on. I had red gloves on that stretched to my elbows, and even though you couldn't see my nails, they were also painted red. Blood red. Everything was blood red on me.

My brown hair was left down, and it felt comforting to feel the familiar sensation of my hair, falling down my back. It was slightly wavy.

"Miss?" Sophie placed a comforting hand on my lower arm "Are you alright?"

I smiled a weak smile at her. "Yes thank you Sophie. I'm alright." While in fact, I was finding it hard to breath calmly in my tight corset.

"You look wonderful." She patted my arm reassuringly.

"You did a wonderful job. Thank you. I don't think I could have made my self presentable on my own." I told her, squeezing her hand back.

"Tessa! We have to go, come on. What on earth are you doing now?" Will shouted again.

I sighed and began my decent down the stairs. As I came into sight, gasps echoed around the hallway.

I pulled the red silk shawl tighter round my body. I felt exposed. Now, as I stood in plain sight of everyone, it felt painfully obvious that there was no back to my dress, and that I wasn't wearing a bra. Luckily the corset had a lot of support but that didn't comfort me much.

"You look beautiful." Jem was the first to speak. He stepped forward and kissed my gloved hand.

"Thank you." I smiled at him as he straightened up. He was wearing a smart black tux that blended perfectly with his silvery eyes and hair.

"Well Tessa. You actually look quite nice." Jessamine said, with an almost appraising look in her eyes.

"So glad I make your approval Jessamine." I said, a slightly annoyed undertone creeping into my voice.

Jessamine, of course, looked beautiful. She had a green dress on, that flowed elegantly down and pooled around the floor. It was tight fitting at the top, with quite a low neckline but not quite as low as mine. It was sleeveless, and as she twirled around I saw that the back was fastened together with green ribbon cris-crossing along her skin. The only thing stopping that dress from falling straight off her was the thing piece of ribbon looped around her neck.

Her blonde silky hair was twisted up on top of her head in and elegant swirl and her brown eyes glowed with excitement. Her creamy complexion mixed well with her emerald green gown.

"My my Tessa, that dress suits you wonderfully." Charlotte smiled warmly at me. She was dressed in a dress similar to Jessamine but it was in a light blue. Henry was in a black tux, with his normally messy ginger hair smoothed down neatly, and he was nodding his agreement.

"You look lovely to Charlotte." I replied, staring at her dress. She did look wonderful.

"Hmmm." Came an arrogant velvety voice. The voice I was dreading. "Maybe waiting all this time for you was worth it after all." Will said, a smirk plastered on his face as his gaze grazed over my body.

"You've changed your tune." I state, and I instantly wished I hadn't. I sounded flirtatious. Not what I wanted to aim for.

Will's gaze finally rested on my face. Smirk still in place. "You pleased?" he asked, a taunting edge to his voice.

I blushed slightly and cursed myself for it. "Not at all. Merely trying to figure out your intentions ." I replied crisply.

"Oh, don't worry about my intentions Miss. Gray, they will guarantee us both a good time." He winked at me.

"The carriage is ready to go. Is everyone ready to depart?" Thomas popped his head around the door.

"Thank you Thomas. We are ready now. Remember everyone; we are going her on business. We want to find out information about Mortmain and his minions. Jessamine, please stay focussed on our task and not ogling young gentleman." Charlotte said, while leading the way towards the carriage outside. Henry followed close behind her and Jessamine flounced out of the room with a loud indignant 'humph', her gown trailing behind her slightly.

Will let out a whoop of laughter as I hurried past him, my skirts gathered in my hands, towards the carriage_

I groaned and sat up, rubbing my cheek. It was stinging harshly from when I had hit the ground and the gravel had dug into my skin.

My eyes flicked open and I studied my surroundings. I was trapped in a cell. No outside light came in since there were no windows in the cell. The black iron bars blocking my escape glinted in the yellow candlelight. It was as if they were bragging that there was no escape with them there.

I scraped my tangled hair back off my face as I looked around for any sign of escape.

I pushed myself off the ground and stood up, wobbling slightly as my legs started having feeling back in them.

My mind was racing with a thousand questions…

How do we escape?

Where are the others?

Are they injured?

Are they even alive?

Where am I?

A soft voice drifted through the silent air.

"Tessa? Tessa is that you?"

I instantly recognised the voice. I whirled around and spotted a blob of green.

"Jessamine? Is that you?" I asked, peering through the dim light towards the greenness in the cell opposite me.

I launched myself at the cold iron bars and stretched a hand out through the tiny gaps between the bars.

"Jessamine, are you okay? Where are the others? How did you get here? What happened after we split up?" I rushed out, while marvelling at the fact that Jessamine could still look pretty in the state she was in.

Her blonde hair was escaping from its elegant twist and was hanging in knotty strips down her face.

Her complexion looked pale as milk, her eyes wide with fear.

Her green dress had a huge rip up the one side, and she no longer wore her gloves.

"Oh Tessa, they took me. Me! Out of everyone else there at that party they took me!" Jessamine shouted indignantly. "Those filthy demons came and ruined my dress. Do you know how much this cost? And they have ruined my hair. This took me hours to do! And I've lost my gloves and now I'm stuck here in this horrid place! When do you they will let us out? Do you think if I tell them that I had nothing to do with it they will let me go?"

My temper flared. "How can you be so selfish? We are stuck here in this prison; a prison Jessamine, with no sign of escape, an army of demons keeping us hostage and our fate at their hands and all you care about is your dress? And how to save yourself? Are you really that self absorbed Jessamine?" I hissed furiously through my teeth.

"Excuse me, but you have no right to talk to me like that. I am a lady and a lady deserves respect_" She yelled clearly astonished at my lack of respect for her so called 'lady ness'.

"We have no idea where the others are or even if they are alive and all you think about is yourself!" I continue as if she hadn't spoken. My hands gripped the bars so tightly that I swear I could've bent them. Jessamine was lucky that there were bars between us.

"Tessa? Is that you? Are you alright?" Jem's voice was like music to my ears. At least he was alive.

"Jem! It's me yes. I'm okay. Are you all right? Where are you?" I strained my head against the bars, desperately trying to squeeze through to find him.

"I'm okay. I'm in the cell um…maybe two up from you. Are the others with you? Wait, is that Jessie?" Jem called back, seeming relieved to hear my voice.

Before I could speak Jessamine had crawled forward from her cowering position in the corner to pressing herself against the iron bars.

"Yes Jem it is me. How on earth do we get out of here? It's cold and horrible. I want to go home now." Jessamine snapped, rubbing her arms up and down her upper arms.

"There you go again." I muttered furiously. "Its always all about you, you, you all the time."

"I don't know. Those demons came out of nowhere. They knocked me out and must've brought me here." Jem said, seemingly distracted.

"All I wanted to do was dance. Is that so much to ask for?" Jessamine was grumbling angrily.

"Do stop whining Jessie. It is so tiresome to hear all the time." Another voice joined the conversation.

A voice that made my heart jump for joy.

Will.

"Will! Your alive!" I called gleefully, unable to hide my joy.

"So it is you I can see from the back of that cell." Jem said.

"It takes more than a bunch of demons to kill me." He called back as he emerged at the opening of his cell, and I could feel the smile in his voice.

"Hey have you guys forgotten about me? I am here you know." Jessamine called impatiently.

"Its next to impossible to forget that your in the room Jessamine." I muttered quietly.

Will must have heard me though as I caught a flash of white- his teeth- as he grinned at me.

"Well we shall soon see." Jem muttered softly.

"What?" Will and me said at the same time, confused at Jem's comment.

"They've come for us." Jem whispered.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

I spun around to face the sound and for the first time since waking up I noticed that there was a small stairwell not far from my cell.

Two demons were marching briskly down the stone steps and straight for me. Another two following behind them.

I scooted back from the door, my dress bunching up around me. My bare feet pressed on the cool stone flooring.

I stared defiantly back at the demon at my cell door.

"Come." It slurred. Unlocking the door with a key I hadn't seen it pull out.

"What do you want with me?" My voice was strong and steady as I kept my gaze locked with the demons.

"Come." It slurred again, but this time it stepped forward and grabbed a handful of my brown tangled hair, pulling hard on it.

"Ah!" I yelped at the pain, which was burning my scalp.

I gripped the demons hand and tried to pry it free but it was too strong. It dragged me out of the cell and towards the stairs. It stopped there, but only to bend down and swing me up over its shoulder.

I thumped viciously on its back, but it just continued walking, as if it could only say 'come' and walk robotically.

"Put me down now. I am a lady and a lady does not get treated in such a manner!" Jessamine was shrieking.

I looked up and saw that she was in a similar position just a different demon. Even though Jessamine is a shadow hunter you can tell that she doesn't go on many expeditions. The only reason she was coming on this one was because there was going to be a room full of eligible young men.

I looked over Jessamine's shrieking form and saw Will and Jem being dragged forward by two more demons.

We needed to escape and this could be our only chance.

I moved my head to the demons shoulders and bit down hard, tasting a foul mixture of a sticky liquid.

The demon hissed and dropped me. I hit the floor, ignoring the pain, and rolled to my feet. Damn, no weapons.

"Tess what are you doing?" I heard Jem holler, but I ignored him. I was entirely focussed on the demon in front of me.

Moving so fast that I wasn't even sure how it happened, my head was flung to side as something rock hard connected with my face. A fist.

I tasted blood in my mouth, and my vision grew blurry. I lashed out blindly towards where the demon was standing and was pleased when my fist hit the demon.

Crack!

Another blow was delivered to my face. My head ached, and felt heavy as I pitched forward, swaying uncontrollably on my feet.

I vaguely felt being hoisted back off the ground but my mind zoned out after that.

Chapter end!

**So what do you guys think? Review please! Hope this chapter made up for the shortness of the last one :) the more reviews I get the quicker I update by the way. **

**Reminder- no flames!**


	3. captured in a reality nightmare

**Sorry for not updating in a while, but, unfortunately I have been forced to go back to school so between test, homework and just plain stroppy teachers, I'm very busy. And between my other stories it gets even busier. And jeez people, friends can really piss me off! Ugh!**

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed and added story to favourites etc. it is immensely appreciated!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Infernal Devices. I just own this plot :)**

Chapter start!

Chapter 3- captured in a reality nightmare.

Tessa POV!

"Tessa? Tessa, can you hear me?" Jem's frantic voice broke through the fogginess and I was finally capable of wrenching my eyes open.

I sat up so quickly I didn't even know how I did it, and instantly tensed for danger.

"Tessa, thank God your awake!" Jem soft voice caught my attention, and I turned towards him.

"Yes thank God indeed." Another voice drawled. A voice I didn't register.

I gathered my tattered dress up around me and heaved myself up into a standing position. Turning to the source of the voice, I narrowed my eyes and took on a fighting stance.

"Who are you?" I snapped, analysing him carefully.

"My dear, I am Sir Cam Douglas" he stepped closer to me. "But you may call me Cam." He acted as if this was a very generous offer.

"Tell me, Sir Douglas, what do you want with me and my companions?" I kept my voice polite but firm. I figured it was better to act polite to begin with, and then if he didn't cooperate, then I would turn to violence.

"Please, call me Cam. Well, my dear, I have a very grand proposal for you." He leered at me.

"Sir Douglas, what is this grand proposal you speak of?" I wasn't going to start on first term basis with him. I didn't want him to get the wrong impression and start to think us friends.

His face hardened slightly. Probably at my utter defiance of not doing what I was told. "Tessa, please call me Cam. I don't see the reason for such formalities when you, after all, are soon to my wife."

Will, Jem, Jessamine and I all spluttered in perfect unison at this outrageous statement. I frowned indignantly at this man.

"Excuse me_" I began.

"Where did you get that ridiculous idea from you imberci_" Will started to snap.

But it was Jessamine that yelled above us both. "You can't marry here!"

Cam narrowed his eyes at her. "And why is that exactly?" he snapped. Maybe he was just as infuriated by Jessamine as the rest of us are.

"Because…" She began furiously.

"It isn't very lady like to interrupt Jessamine. Isn't that what you always tell me?" I cut in, a little hypocritically but I felt it needed to be said.

"…She isn't a lady!" Jessamine finished, looking at me in disgust.

"Jessamine. Be quiet. This isn't about you, it is much more important then that." Jem scolded her, his voice angry and taut. I shot him a glance. He doesn't normally get angry.

"She is perfect." Cam snapped at Jessamine. "Tessa is wonderful."

"That's Miss Gray to you." I said to him, focussing my attention back onto him.

"Tessa, didn't I just tell you that there is no need for such formalities? We will be_" he was sighing.

"How do you know me? My name? Just…me in general?" I asked him. This man was slightly creepy.

"My dear, we are soul mates_" Cam gushed before both Will and Jem's spluttering interrupted him. "How could I not know you?"

"I'm sorry Sir Douglas, but I simply do not return your feelings. Now, if you would be so kind as to show us the way out…" I prompted, attempting a polite, tight-lipped smile.

I turned and looked around for a door, or anyway to get out of this wretched place. But what he said next had me spinning around so quickly Will had to grasp me round the waist to steady me.

"I have always been looking over you Tessa. Since that day that everything went wrong for you." He said slowly, walking over to the other side of the room and sitting down on a chair behind a wooden desk.

I stared at him a moment. Finally finding my voice I say, "What do you mean?"

"I have always been near you Tessa…" he smiled at me, beckoning me to come sit by him.

I clutched Will's hand tighter. "I think it might be wise, if you explain yourself Sir." I said, fighting to keep my voice steady and strong.

He smirked at me.

A plan was forming behind his eyes. I could see it shining evilly from his very core.

"My dear…first I think we should settle out our future life together before we speak about your past." He says.

Everything happened at once then.

Jessamine chocked in indignation.

Jem growled low in his throat.

I gasped in horror.

And Will, well Will had already launched himself across the room at Cam.

Demons filled the room, grabbing Will by the arms and neck, pushing him to his knees.

Cam gave a sharp nod and a demon lashed out at Will.

"Stop!" I shriek. "Just stop!" I throw myself at Will, fending off an attacking demon in the process.

More demons joined in the ambush on me.

"Stop!" Cam roared, leaping from his chair. "Leave her alone. Get out now. The boy has been put in his place." Cam sat back down, regaining his cool façade.

I bent over Will stuttering worriedly.

"Oh, I see." Cam suddenly muttered. Jem, Will and Me all looked up at. "This won't do at all," he muttered "not at all." He gave me and Will one look then called loudly. "Demons, I request your presence!"

The demons dutifully filled into the room, surrounding us, making it almost claustrophobic.

"This boy, must be eliminated." He concluded, pointing a finger at Will.

It was totally silence a moment, while the blood drain from my face.

Jem and me looked across at each other above Will's crippled form, a mask of horror on both our faces.

Chapter end!

**Okay so maybe a mean place to end but don't hate me. I hope to update soon. Thanks again to all my lovely reviewers! **

**Xxx**


	4. Deal

**Hey y'all. Thanks to all my reviewers :) means a lot to me you guys. Keep it up :) **

Chapter start.

Chapter 4- Deal 

Tessa POV.

A demon stepped forward to hook an arm around Will's waist and I jabbed my fist into its chest.

I heard another demon shriek and realised that Jem had hit a demon to.

More closed in, getting closer and closer to us.

Jem and me glanced at each other and nodded, knowing what we had to do.

We both let Will slump to the ground, then quickly spun back to back.

Fending of demon after demon, it soon became clear that we weren't going to be able to keep fighting them off. There seemed to be a never-ending supply of demons piling into the room. You took down one group and another appeared- as if by magic.

I felt as if my air was being sucked away from me. And in a way it was. There were so many people in the room, that there wasn't enough air for everyone.

"Enough! Stop!" I yelled, bringing my foot up and kicking a demon in the stomach.

A click echoed ominously through the room, bouncing off of the stonewalls and vibrating in my ears.

Everyone froze as Cam spoke.

"Now, Now Tessa Darling…your not going to ruin my plan are you?" he purred at me.

I restrained myself from cringing and concentrated on keeping my breathing under control. After all the fighting and lack of air I felt quite light-headed.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, keeping a firm hold on Will, who thankfully, was starting to come around now.

"I thought my intentions were obvious my darling. I want you. For me. No one else. Mine." He explained.

I thought for a moment. "Are you saying that you think someone else is…interested…in me?"

"Oh Tessa" he sighed, while letting out a throaty chuckle. "This boy before me" he stabbed a finger in Will's direction. "Is the boy who has an interest in you."

Will growled low in his throat as I tried to process this.

"Will doesn't like me…does he? I like him but I never dreamed that he would return my feelings. Sir Douglas had to mistaken.

"I believe you are mistaken." I said flatly, glaring at Cam.

He walked towards me and slowly made a circle around me. "Oh no my dear" he purred, far to close to my ear for my liking. I pulled away slightly. "You really don't see yourself very clearly do you? You are a true beauty." A picked up one my knotty curls and rubbed it between his fingers. "A true beauty…" he purred again. "Don't you agree ?"

I moved my gaze from Cam's face and glared at the floor. I wasn't used to being complimented like this. But when Cam asked this I glanced up at Will almost instantly.

Will was staring intently at Cam, his delicious green eyes bright with malice and mischief.

He looked like he had a snide sharp comment coiled on the tip of his tongue just waiting to pounce. But he suddenly turned to face me and smiled. A real genuine smile.

He gazed at me intently, so intently that I felt my own gaze start to falter. A hundred different thoughts were rushing through my mind at an inhuman pace when he leaned toward me and caught my face in his hands.

Without another hesitation he brought my face closer to his own and gently pressed out lips together.

The kiss soon turned passionate. It went from a little peck to a lustful locking of lips, moving in perfect sync with each other. As if this kiss was meant to be.

I was too surprised to pull away and in all honesty, I didn't want to. I loved Will. And this could be the only time I get to kiss him.

A sharp _crack _and a hard _yank_ had Will and me sprawling in opposite sides of the cold stone room.

I rubbed my hand across my head to try and soothe the searing pain burning my scalp. Someone had grabbed my hair, and brutally yanked on it.

I was trying to fix my gaze on Will as he was being hauled up off the floor By two demons, and a bloody hand print was imprinted on him cheek.

"Tessa, are you alright?" Jem asked me, quickly bending down and grasping my hand.

"Uh…." I said, as I let him pull me up off the ground.

"How dare you!" Cam shouted, gripping a handful of Will's soft brown hair and viciously yanking his neck back so that it was strained in an arch shape.

Will grunted, struggling to break free from the demon's grasp.

"How dare you!" Cam shouted again, his voice as loud as thunder. He pulled his arm back and went to let it smash into Will's face, but Jem was quicker, and he latched onto Cam's raised fist, preventing any movement.

"Stop!" I shrieked, as Cam whirled on Jem, his eyes blazing with two more demons behind him, slowly closing in on Jem.

Cam paused a moment, staring at me.

I swallowed. "Cam…how about we have a little chat outside?" I tried to smile flirtatiously at him.

He instantly brightened at the sound of his name coming out of my mouth and he raised a hand to call off nay attack.

"Of course darling, anything for you." He said, leering expectantly at me.

He turned towards the door and the demons immediately parted to let him precede them. He opened the door and gestured dramatically for me to pass.

I gathered my tattered skirts in my hands and tried to not to snag the material with my chipped nails.

As I walked past Cam and his army I heard him whisper, "Watch them," before following me out into the slightly warmer hallway.

Once I felt we were far enough away from the room that we wouldn't be over heard, but not too far away so that I wouldn't hear them if anything happened to them, I turned face him.

He stepped close to me, so close that he was almost leaning against me. I took a moment to calm myself.

Slowly, I gave him what I hoped was an alluring smile. "Cam…honey" I resisted the strong urge to cringe, "I'll make you a deal…"

"Anything for you my love." He purred, placing his arms on my hips.

I swallowed. "If I stay with you here, will you please let the others go?" I asked.

He paused a moment.

"Please?" I hurriedly gushed. "Please?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to let the others go since you have agreed to stay with me." He said slowly, nodding to him self.

"Thank you" I sighed, my head sagging slightly in relief.

"I will have them released immedi…wait…yes…. yes…" he said quietly, as if to himself. Suddenly, he gripped my wrist tightly in his and gave a hard yank in the direction of the room we just came out off.

We barged back into the room. All eyes shot to us, Will and Jem's eyes concerned, the demons' eyes solid black and uncaring.

"Tessa has agreed to stay with me. Please take the prisoners to the dungeons and then report back here. We have things to discuss." He turned abruptly on his heel and flounced over to his desk and sat down heavily in the chair.

Three demons stepped forward from their rows and snatched Will, Jem and Jessamine in their arms and started herding them out of the door.

"What are you doing?" I hissed angrily at Cam. "We have a deal_"

He clicked his fingers and signalled another demon forward. "The room." Was all he said, before I was yanked of my feet into the demons' arms and carried out of the room.

I heard Jessamine shrieking as we followed them down the hall towards the dungeons.

We staggered down the stairs and finally we were all placed on the floor. Jem was pushed into a cell nearest the door; Will was shoved roughly into a cell farthest from the door and Jessamine was thrown into the cell between them.

Before any of us could say anything I was being dragged across the floor towards the opposite side of the dungeon.

I held in a grunt of pain that was burning my leg as my bare skin was dragged along the ragged stone floor.

We came to a halt as we stood by a stonewall. Everything was silent as we all waited impatiently for what was going to happen next.

The demon thumped the wall and it swung open. I gasped as I stared into black hole.

Without a moments hesitation I was bodily thrown into the blackness.

"Wait!" I shrieked, as the door ground shut.

I was left in absolute blackness.

No sound.

No light.

Nothing.

End chapter!

Hey y'all! So how was this chapter? Please, please, please leave a review! It really helps me write more. Sorry for a late update, exams and homework overload. Blame my teachers- those evil beings.

Anyway, please review!

Hope y'all enjoyed :)

Xxx


	5. Refusal to see the truth

**Hey people :) Here I am with another chapter.**

**I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has reviewed/ added story to favourites/ author alert/ author favourite lists. It means a lot you guys. You are all amazing!**

**And if you're looking for something else to read then check out my other story 'secrets' in the Infernal Device section. I'm pretty sure a lot of you already review both but just saying :)**

Chapter start.

Chapter 5- Refusals 

Tessa POV.

I was huddled in the darkness, slowly curling and uncurling my fists over and over again.

I didn't have a precise knowledge on how long I had been locked up in this dark stone wall/room. But if I had to guess then it would easily be an hour minimum.

"Hello!" I yelled again at the top of my voice. The sound bounced of the solid stonewalls and echoed loudly before fading into the silent darkness.

I picked myself up off the floor and threw myself at the stonewall, which was hopefully the direction that I came in from.

I thumped my fist against the wall, screaming, "Let me out!"

There was no reply, only the fading echoes of my voice.

I let out a scream of frustration and collapsed onto the hard floor. I drew my knees up to my chest and embraced them. My head fell onto my knees as I thought of what could be happening outside this stone room.

The thoughts running through my mind weren't pretty.

An age seemed to pass, but eventually, the hidden stone door ground open and a rectangle of bright candlelight illuminated the front portion of the stone room.

I spun around and, shielding my eyes, stared at the open doorway.

"Who's there?" I snapped, trying to untangle myself from my tattered dress and get up off the floor.

No reply was given, but I was quickly snatched up of the floor, and being held painfully tight to someone's chest.

I jabbed the demon in the chest with my elbow, and fought to break free from its grip.

A sharp slap to my face had me slightly disoriented and a harsh stinging sensation flowed across that cheek.

We walked past the dungeons and I caught sight of Jessamine cowering in her cell, a fierce pout clouding her face.

I looped my arm out from under the demon's elbow and quickly snatched onto an iron bar of Jessamine's cell. The sudden halting brought the demon and myself tumbling down to the ground.

"Jessamine! Where are the others? Are you all right? What happened?" I frantically asked.

"They took them." She snapped, scrubbing at her face.

"What do you mean?" I yelled.

"They_" she didn't get to finish as I was wrenched away from the cell door and lifted up over a demon's shoulder.

"Tessa!" Jessamine shrieked, crawling forward until she could press up close to the cell bars.

"Jessamine! Its going to be fine!" I called, as I was carried up the steps and into the previous room we were in.

I was slammed onto my feet, and I staggered forward slightly into the waiting arms of Jem.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, peering into my face.

"Never better." I muttered, as I righted myself.

Then I caught sight of the sickly purple colour covering Jem's cheek. I gasped.

"What on earth happened?" I asked, tilting his chin so I could see his face more clearly.

"Nothing, its fine." He answered, giving me a forced smile.

I turned to face Will and held back another gasp. "Will…your throat." I whispered.

He had a jagged bloody mark running along his throat.

"Its nothing, its fine. What happened to you?" he asked, indicating my hands, which were outstretched towards him.

I flipped them round to face me and saw that they were all red and bloody. "Oh." I said slowly. "It must have happened when I was banging on the wall."

"Now Tessa darling…" Cam drawled, taking my hands in his. "We have_"

I wrenched them out of his grasp and scowled at him. He raised an eyebrow. "We had a deal…and you violated it!" I snarled.

"I beg your pardon," he said cynically, "but I'll think you'll find that we agreed that I would let them go if you stayed here with me. We didn't agree when they would be set free."

I couldn't believe it. I stared at him in disbelief. "You monster!" I growled.

He smirked clearly proud of himself. "Now, now darling, lets not get upset about such trivial matters."

"Let them go." I said.

He grinned at me. "Oh I will, don't you worry your pretty little head about that. In fact, I was planning on letting them go now. I have no further use for them."

"What do you mean? What deal?" Will snapped, glaring at Cam maliciously.

"Would care to do the honours?" Cam smirked at me.

It made m skin crawl.

I turned to face Will and Jem. Well, Jem more than Will, I had a sudden irrational fear about what I would see if I looked up into Will's eyes.

"I can get you out of here. It's all going to be okay. Cam's has agreed to let you go now_" I began quietly.

"Oh, I didn't realise that you and He were on first term basis now!" Will hissed. I could feel the intensity of his glare before I met his eyes.

I glanced up, begging with my own eyes for him to keep quiet and understand what I was doing, but when I caught his eye I was shocked to see that his expression was slightly agonised.

"Take them away now!" yelled Cam angrily, reaching out and yanking me harshly, almost possessively to his chest.

Suddenly, a ice cold wave of fear washed over me, engulfing me. I wanted to break away from Cam's grip and throw myself into Will's arms and never ever let go.

Will reached out to me, and without thinking I reached back towards his outstretched hand.

He caught hold of my hand roughly in his own and wrenched me forward.

I clung to him, trembling suddenly.

He griped my chin and pulled it upwards, planting a rough, hot kiss on my lips. I pressed my self closer to him, savouring it.

Out of nowhere, Will pulled back from me and pushed me away from him, sending me staggering into the wall.

He spun round, caught Jem tightly by the shoulder and flung him towards the door.

"Go. Get Jess and go!" he shouted.

Jem, seeing that this might be his only chance to get Jess out without a bunch of demons guarding them, ran for it.

Will turned back round to face Cam and myself, a calm demeanour about him.

"You monster!" Cam suddenly snarled.

I turned to him, startled.

Will smirked proudly. "A deal is a deal."

"W-w-what?" I stuttered out.

"He was using you! A diversion!" Cam yelled, clearly outraged.

I whipped my head round to face Will. "Will…is that true?" I whispered.

"Needs must Tessa honey" he drawled, an uncaring sparkle in his eyes.

I staggered back and leant against the wall, clutching my stomach, desperately praying for me not to throw up.

"I see." I managed to choke out.

"Toodle pips." Will waved cheerfully at me before darting out of the room.

I stood there a moment, frozen to the spot. It was all a lie. I knew it was too good to be true. I knew it. Why did I let myself believe? You foolish girl Tessa!

"May I be excused?" I asked faintly.

"You will be shown to your room." He replied, motioning a demon forward out of its carefully protective stance in its line against the door.

I walked swiftly out of the room, fighting back the explosion of emotion burning within me.

**Chapter end.**

Please review! Thank you to everyone who has reviewed previously. If you don't like the Will/Tessa ending to this chapter bear with me…. there is more in store.

**Xxx**


	6. Escape

**I haven't really got anything to say…so I guess I'll just get on with it.**

**Disclaimer- I do not own anything except the plot. Oh, and Cam.**

Chapter start.

Chapter 6- Escape.

Will POV.

I rushed out of the stone room and hurried down the corridor towards the dungeons. I almost collided with Jem as I rounded the sharp corner to head down the steps.

"Where is she?" Jem demanded, clutching Jessamine tightly by her upper arm. She was bent into him, curving up his side- probably from exhaustion.

My throat constricted slightly as I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat. "Lets go." I managed to get out, turning sharply and heading back along the corridor but this time I took a turn off in the corridor.

Jem's hands closed round my bicep and he yanked me to a stop. "Will, where is Tessa? She is alright isn't she?" he asked worriedly.

Not wanting to look him in the eye I scanned the passageway, searching for any demonic presence. "She is fine." _Liar. She is anything but fine. Her face when I told her that it was all a joke; that it was all a distraction to get the others and myself out of here._ "She is staying here_"

Jem interrupted me, spinning me to face him; I saw that his eyes were blazing with a pure anger. "What is going on Will?" he spoke slowly, enunciating each word carefully, as if it was extremely hard to get the words out.

I sighed. "She…is staying…" I broke off, finding it hard to finish my sentence. _How was I going to explain it to him? Never mind that how was I going to explain this to Tessa? When I get her out of here of course. _"We have to go. Now!" I snapped, twisting out of his grip and starting to sprint down the corridor. I flew round the corner and burst into a fairly large cold stone room. A big oak door was in the middle of the wall facing me.

I threw myself at the heavy door, shoving at it frantically. Jem just stood there, clearly to annoyed to help me.

"F-f-for good-d-dness sa-a-ake Jem." Jessamine hissed out from between her chattering teeth. I glanced at her. She must be freezing, she was only wearing an elaborate ball gown, that was ripped and covered in dirt. "Don't just stand there. H-h-help him! I want to get out of here. N-n-now!" she stopped her heeled foot for emphasis.

"Stop being such a brat Jessamine." I snarled, finally breaking through the door, just enough to squeeze my hand through and flick the bolt across.

The door _creaked_ as I opened it, a terrible scratchy sound that made me cringe in annoyance.

Before I could turn and speak with Jem Jessamine was marching forward, hobbling slightly since she was only wearing one shoe.

I went to follow her, but I stopped abruptly as I realised that Jem wasn't following us. I twisted round and studied him. He looked shocked and extremely disappointed.

"So that's it?" he whispered, glaring at me. "You're just going to leave Tessa here? You're despicable!" the last word became a shout.

I frowned. How could he think that I would do _that_?

"Jem, we have to go. I'll explain everything to you once we get away from here. Its to risky here- we could be over heard." I rolled my head round casually, indicating a silent signal of the mansion we had just burst out off.

The harsh scowl on his face didn't evaporate but he nodded once, his jaw tight, before following me silently and swiftly into the night.

We found Jessamine standing impatiently by a row of horses. "Come on! I want to get home tonight! Now help me up." she held her arms up haughtily.

**Unknown POV.**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" a voice muttered uncertainly.

"Of course. It's the only way?" another voice soothed gently. "How else did you suppose we do this?"

A sigh blew through the small room. "I don't know. It just seems…strange. And dangerous."

"She can handle it. She's strong. And determined."

"She doesn't know the truth about the situation though."

"She will soon enough…"

**Will POV.**

I swung himself off the black horse I was riding and bent his body down towards the ground, balancing carefully. I cupped a hand and scooped water out of the river and gulped it down.

Jem jumped down off the back of his white horse and stared out over the river with his calm silver eyes. "This is a disaster." He whispered.

I sighed and balled my hand into a fist. I really wish he would stop saying that. It was getting on my nerves. "Look Jem, just trust_" I was quite rudely interrupted by Jessamine huffing loudly.

"Can _somebody_ please get me down off this horse?" she demanded, scowling at me before switching her gaze to Jem.

"Can't _you_ do it yourself?" I snapped, glaring back. I stood up from my crouch and stretched.

She narrowed her tired eyes at me. "A lady does not remove _herself_ from a horse." She sighed dramatically, obviously frustrated with my stupidity.

"There is no point. We are leaving. Now." Jem commanded, swinging himself back up onto his white horse with a delicate ease.

"Fine by me." I agreed, with a small nod of my head. I shoved my matted hair out of my eyes and mounted my horse again.

We didn't stop until we reached the institute at the early hours of the morning. The pale sky hurt my eyes but I forced to keep them open. We guided the horses round the side of the institute and let them loose in the small garden.

Without wasting another second I dived off the horse's back and ran to the backdoor. I threw it open, raced to the study, all the while Jem was close at my heels.

"Charlotte!" Jem and me yelled as I shouldered the heavy oak door open.

She turned and stared at us blankly, but then recognition dawned in her eyes and she smiled broadly. She jumped out of her seat in front of Henry and said, "Will, Jem, you're back!" she clapped her hands. "Tessa? I have such wonderful news for you…" he enthusiasm faded as she failed to spot Tessa. "Where is she?"

Henry slowly rose from his chair, looking worried. "That's what we need to talk to you about. Oh charlotte, Tessa is still there!" Jem explained.

"What?" she gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"She isn't at the party. A man named Cam kidnapped us. She is at his mansion. We need to go get her, now." My voice was calm but on the inside I was panicking.

We needed to get to Tessa now._ I _needed to get to Tessa now. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her.

Charlotte fell back into her chair, looking pale and stricken. "Oh no. This wasn't supposed to happen." She closed her eyes, looking nauseated.

I stopped from leaving the room. I turned to face her, lashing my body round sharply. "What? What are you talking about?"

Henry swallowed loudly. "Oh dear…what a situation."

I glared, before marching over to the desk and slamming a fist down onto it hard. The objects shock before rolling to the floor with dull thudding sounds.

"What. Is. Going. On?" I growled.

Somebody better tell me fast. Otherwise there will be consequences. That I necessarily _won't_ regret.

**End chapter.**

**So there it is. Sorry for not updating for a while, but things got busy. Lame excuse but that's all I got. Please review :) **

**Xxx**


	7. Preparation

Hmm…so I'm thinking that Will's POV didn't go down as well as I'd hoped. But in my defence it is my first time of doing his POV so maybe a bit more practice and it will be better, yes? Positive thinking is what I need right? Or is it a case of wishful thinking, lol? Anyway…

Chapter 7 –Preparation.

Chapter start.

Tessa POV.

I walked, although I do believe wobbled would be a better description, down the cold stone corridor before the demon showing me to my room took a sharp left and then a sharp right which led us to a flight of uninviting stone steps.

Scooping up what was left of my tattered ball gown I obediently trailed up the steps, my bare feet sore and freezing. The hard steps felt like ice against my bruised soles.

My room was large yet plain. It wasn't a home. It wouldn't ever be a home, let alone _my_ home. A small bed was shoved in the corner of the sickly yellow room and a vanity table was shoved against the opposite wall.

A tiny bared window was positioned quite high up, easily over my head, smack bang in the middle of the wall opposite the faded wooden door.

Faded curtains hung pathetically at the window, and the floor was a grubby cream carpet with a frayed yellow rug in the middle.

The demon lashed his body round and grabbed my elbow, tugging me into the room and throwing me roughly onto the bed. I collapsed against it, my legs finally giving out and a sob like cough escaped my throat.

"Maid will be soon." It grunted, before leaving the room, dragging its overly long arms along the floor, like a bear drags its paws.

The door slammed shut with a deafening eerie sound before fading to silence, promising unhappiness and doom for the rest of the days I spent here.

Now I was alone I could finally break down. I buried my dirty face in a pillow that stank of a musty odour and dust and I sobbed. My body convulsed in harsh jerks and I could hardly breath from the force of the sobs leaving my body. I curled myself up into a protective ball and cried until I had no more tears.

It hurt. God, it hurt.

And it was unbelievable.

Every time I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and thought I had just about got a handle on my emotions I would see his beautiful face smirk at me and repeat those heart-shattering words.

"Needs must Tessa honey…"

He used me. I was just a tool to him.

Well I'll be damned if I didn't prove him wrong. I was going to show him that I was more than just a tool. More than just a worthless piece of machinery that could be used to achieve something and then discarded carelessly.

My arms were slick with tears by the time I looked up. I could feel my eyes all swollen and red. I scrubbed a hand furiously across my face.

Now that the sorrow and shock had been forced out of my body a blinding anger took its place.

A white-hot fire that blazed within my chest, burning and threatening.

It was malicious and hungry for destruction.

I would have preferred to tear Will's head off his shoulders but since I couldn't do that (right now anyway) I settled from destroying the room.

My teeth were pressed together so tightly a throbbing ache had began pounding in my jaw, but I was to angry to register the pain enough to care about it.

I jerked myself off the bed and I dived at the window, reaching and clawing my way up the wall like a mad woman, tearing at the ghastly curtains with my ragged nails.

They fluttered down from the pole, and I scrunched them up in my hand, swinging my hands round and letting them go. They flew to opposite ends of the room, landing hap-hazardly; one on the floor, the other half on, half off the bed.

_Yes. _I grinned bitterly at the seen. Now they _look_ exactly like _I feel_; tossed away without a second thought.

Anger continued to control my body, and I remained blind to its possessive control until I finally punched the solid brick wall and I heard the sickening crunch as my knuckles snapped under the pressure.

It took me a moment to actually _register_ what happened, and even then it took me another moment to stagger back into the vanity table and slowly sink to the floor.

I blinked a few times before letting a little squeak of pain strangle on my lips.

This hurt to. A lot.

But not as much as what Will was hurting me.

Nowhere near.

I clutched my hand to my stomach and curled my torso over it, deluding myself into thinking that this could stop the pain.

I drew my knees up to my chest and let my head drop to rest on top of them. My tangled curls tumbled down around the sides of my tear-streaked face, shielding me from the harsh reality that happened little over half hour ago.

More tears came. They slid silently down my cheeks, and I sat there in this cramped position undisturbed until I felt a soft touch on my bare shoulder.

I jerked out of my position and shuffled back on my bum until I hit the dresser. I was so startled. I hadn't even heard the door open in my emotional break down.

It could have been _anything_ coming to get me.

This made me realise that I needed to remain calm and collected until got out of here.

Straighten up Tessa…get yourself together girl…

I drew my aching back up straight and stared evenly at the two old women before me.

They had hunched backs (yet it was obvious that one was shorter than the other) and withered old faces, both almost identical. Their coarse colourless hair was scraped back on top of their heads and they stared at me solemnly.

"Come along child." The one who was the shortest out of the two said.

I took a deep breath. "Who are you?" I asked I a voice thick from crying yet reasonably steady.

The woman who had spoke smiled a toothy grin and said, "I am Mrs Black and this is Mrs Dark. We are here to prepare you for Sir Douglas." She reached out a podgy withered hand towards me.

I eyed it dubiously.

Mrs Dark huffed impatiently. She was thin with defined cheekbones that seemed out of place on her ugly face. "Move now Miss Gray. We do not have time to waste. The master is not a patient man." She snatched my wrist in her surprisingly firm grip and yanked me to my feet.

I wobbled slightly, but then I took a step forward and managed to keep myself steady.

"We can sort your hand out for you to." Mrs Black assured me.

I nodded and followed them out of the room.

It was a brief journey to our new destination. It was a bathroom, a cold sterile bathroom with white tiled walls and white ceiling and white rugs but the hot bath in front of me had me forgetting all the harshness of the room and just wanting to get into the tub.

Mrs Dark disappeared, her stocking feet trudging tiredly out of the room.

Mrs Black turned her back to me as I eased myself out of my ruined dress. I kicked it away from and sunk into the warm water.

It felt wonderful.

Mrs Black crouched down by my head, and I had a momentary thought that she was going to try and drown me or stab me or something but then she started washing my hair and I melted into the land where no matter how hard reality was, it always seemed exaggerated in this _lovely_ place called fantasy.

The tangles were teased out of my matted curls. The dirt was scrubbed from my fingernails. My sore feet were messaged. My swollen knuckles were gently cleansed and then wrapped in a firm bandaged.

In all honestly, I didn't want to leave the bath, but I stepped out and wrapped myself in warm white towels and followed the two old women into a room joined the bathroom.

A pale pink dress was hanging from a hook in the wall. It was all lace and ruffles and breathtakingly beautiful.

I stood in the doorway of the bathroom leading into the bedroom, and stared at the dress. My body was blocking some of the light from illuminating the dress but from what light managed to seep through the gaps it shone on the dress in an enhancing manner.

"Hurry up and dry off, we have to get you into this and do your hair." Mrs Dark snapped, still using that impatient, bored voice.

Mrs Black took my elbow and led me over to an inviting armchair that was set up in front of the mirror.

I smiled slightly as I thought of going to Cam wearing this dress, looking fresh and cute. It would certainly help my plan…

I relaxed enough to allow the women to sit me in the chair and set up bottles of perfume and elaborate hair brushes on the clean vanity table.

Its almost time Tessa…just keep it together for a bit longer…then you can prove yourself…to Will…Jem…all of them…

**Chapter end.**

**So what do you guys think? I'm sorry it isn't that long but there isn't anything else that links with this chapter :) please review…tow chapters updated on two consecutive days. That's good right?**

**Xxx**


	8. Impossibly Alone

Sorry for a few spelling mistakes in the last chapter. I just read through it and realised that I didn't correct all of them. Please forgive me. Enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer- I do not own the Infernal Device series only Cassandra Clare has that privilege. I only own Cam and the plot.

Inspiration for this chapter- _And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying "save me now", you were there impossibly alone – Linkin Park, Iridescent. _

Dedicated to- _this chapter is dedicated to anyone who has ever found out the truth about something and never felt more alone afterwards._

Chapter 8 – Impossibly alone

**Jem POV.**

"Charlotte!" Will snapped, stalking forward until he was only an arms length away from her, his blue eyes flashing like ice about to shatter and explode. "What is going on?"

She breathed out a shaky sigh and sunk further into the armchair, her tiny body seeming to quiver slightly, whether from shock or worry, I couldn't tell.

"Will, calm down. Just come and sit down and_" Henry began, scrubbing his ginger hair out of his eyes before leaning across the desk to grab the back of Will's shirt.

Will spun round, his arm smacking Henry's hand away from him. That was the only sound that filled the room at the moment, the sharp _slap_ of skin on skin.

"Don't touch me you fool!" Will snarled, his voice feral and savage. "Just tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Its all gone wrong." Charlotte whispered. I looked at her sharply.

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm and steady, unlike Will who looked ready to kill the next person who came within a two ft gap of him.

"We know its all gone wrong! We want to know what exactly _it_ is!" Will railed, glaring at Charlotte with a look of pure hatred on his angry face.

"You remember when Tessa first arrived at the institute don't you?" Charlotte said, her voice shaking slightly as she swallowed.

I nodded but of course Will just had to voice an answer. "Of course I do. I was the one that found her passed out on our doorstep."

"When you were on your way back from some pub after getting up to God knows what with some girl." I couldn't help but put in.

Will glanced at me; a small widening of is eyes were the only indication that he was surprised. I shrugged back at him, uncaring and void of understanding for him. I was still angry with him.

"Boys now lets just stay_" Henry seemed agitated, like he was expecting some brawl to break out any minute.

I didn't blame him. With the tangled mix of angry pent up emotions in the air at the moment, a brawl was almost positive to happen.

Charlotte hurried to talk over him, her face tense. " She isn't who you think she is."

I frowned. "Now isn't really the time for riddles Charlotte. Can you please just explain what is going on in a simple manner?"

She looked at me, her small childlike face looking worried and lost. I gulped down a breath of air. This wasn't a good sign from Charlotte.

"I don't have time for this!" Will snarled, before spinning on his heel and heading for the door in four long strides.

"Wait! You need to know this Will!" Charlotte rose from her chair. "You need to be aware of the man who she is being held captive with. He is dangerous."

And we left Tessa all alone with him.

I felt sick. A burning ball of acid was churning mercilessly in my stomach at the thought of what could be happening to Tessa at this very minute.

I barely manage to step round Charlotte and reach the armchair before my legs gave out and I collapsed into it.

**Tessa POV.**

I bounced lightly on the balls of my feet while I listened carefully to Mrs Black announcing my presence to Cam.

"Enter." Cam called.

I took a deep calming breath and smoothed my pale pink dress down. The bodice was an intricate pattern of flowers and from the waist down the material flowed down till it pooled delicately on the floor.

The door opened slowly, bathing the dark hallway in an artificial candlelight.

I walked forward; head held high ignoring the feeling that I was all alone in this battle, gloved fingers firmly gripping small clusters of my dress so I didn't trip on it. The train of the dress trailed behind me slightly with each step I took.

"Ah, Tessa." Cam rose smoothly from behind his desk and opened his arms, smiling broadly. "How are you feeling my dear?"

I bowed my head respectfully before smiling shyly. "Much better now thank you. Please excuse my earlier behaviour. I was…overwhelmed, by everything. I simply wasn't thinking straight."

"Of course, of course. I wouldn't dream of holding it against you my love. You went through a terrible ordeal, but I can look after you now. Won't you please sit? I was just about to have dinner ordered." He held out his hand, palm cupped ready for my own to be slipped into his.

Carefully, I wove my fingers into his and allowed him to guide me to a plump armchair that was nestled in a corner, farthest from the door but nearest the fire.

"You look extravagant this evening my love." Cam purred, squeezing my hand.

I giggled. "Oh, you must thank Mrs Black and Mrs Dark for their assistance, otherwise I would not be quite so fetching to look at." I settled into the chair, sitting back till my heeled shoes barely grazed the hard stone floor.

Cam presented me with a dainty glass goblet, holding it up with a flourish. "You look beautiful no matter what, Tessa."

I lowered my eyes and turned my head away slightly, imitating the action of a blush. "You're too kind my lord."

His face-neared mine, closing in till I felt his warm cool breath on my neck. "I will show you just how kind I can be, if you'll grace me with your presence in my chambers tonight…"

I felt the first tentacles of panic wriggle wrestling in my stomach for the first time since Will had left, as Cam closed his hands round my waist and pressed an innocent peck on my neck.

The clearing of a throat from the doorway had Cam pulling angrily away from me, and his eyes looked hungry and savage.

My sigh caught in my throat as I felt a strong stab of sympathy for the person who disrupted us, and unwittingly angered Cam.

"Dinner is ready to be served my Lord." Mrs Black croaked softly.

Cam blew out a sharp breath. "Very well. Go. We will follow."

With a bow that was stooped so low I felt the urge to jump up and prepare myself to catch the old women, she wobbled out of the room and then it was just me and Cam once again, and the pounding of my fast beating heart.

Sliding a hand through his hair, Cam rose swiftly and pulled me gently from my seat. "Let us dine, my love, and then the night shall be ours."

Now or never Tessa…

I tugged forcefully on his hand, halting him abruptly. "Wait my Lord." I said.

His eyes met mine, curious yet the intimate lust that he was so obviously craving still glowed possessively from the depths of his green-flecked eyes.

"I'm sorry Cam, its just, I don't…" I trailed off, coughing up a little shaky breath.

"What is it my love?" he clasped my hands tightly in his own, holding them close to his chin.

I took a deep breath and exhaled shakily, slowly raising my gaze to meet his own. Honestly, I was surprised at my acting skills. "Well, something is bothering me, and well, I simply can not eat with such thoughts crowding my head."

Cam sighed in what appeared to be relief. "Oh darling, we can settle it out over dinner. Lets not let it spoil our evening."

"Of course, please excuse my thoughtlessness. Lets dine." I smiled, and led him out the room, scooping a handful of my gown up off the floor to avoid treading on it.

***Back at the institute, Jem POV***

"Why did this have to happen?" Charlotte was clinging to Henry desperately, repeating the sentence over and over again, her voice wobbling slightly. "This wasn't supposed to happen! He wasn't meant to show up, he shouldn't even have known about the party!"

This roused me from my silent stupor in the armchair I had collapsed into. "Charlotte, please, I am begging you, explain what is going on." I rose from the chair and reached for her shoulder. "Please Charlotte. Please."

"Jem," Henry said disapprovingly. "Now isn't the time to pressure Charlotte like this. She's under a lot of strain and its really not helping to have you badgering_"

"No, no Henry. He deserves to know. I just don't know where to begin." The tiny woman sniffed and wiped her nose on Henry's handkerchief.

Relenting my tense somewhat angry interrogating for a minute, I grasped Charlotte's hand and helped her sit in the chair I just vacated. "Now, take your time."

"Tessa isn't a normal mundane, as I'm sure you're well aware of by now. She's…special. She isn't your average warlock and she isn't nephilim either. She is a breed that has never graced the earth before. Tessa is a riddle wrapped up in a mystery." A wild slightly hysterical laugh burst out of Charlotte.

I couldn't help but think about how much that phrase reminded me of Will, my parabatai who had just charged off into a battle that he knew nothing about.

But of course, this was also very generic of Will.

"As you know, Will found her collapsed on our porch steps a month ago on his way back from goodness knows where one evening." Suddenly, Charlotte's eyes widened and she gasped. "Henry! It was _this_ very evening last month. Oh, how foolish of us."

I frowned. "How is that relevant? What does it prove?"

"Not yet. Listen." Henry mumbled, shaking his head bewilderedly.

"Well, due to her strange ability, Henry and myself tried to investigate and find out about her race, but no book held any information. We turned to Magnus Bane, the warlock, and even he knew very little on the matter." Charlotte swallowed and took a deep breath. "But one afternoon, when you, Will and Tessa were otherwise occupied, I travelled to the Silent City and held a conference with Brother Enoch and Brother Jeremiah."

"Jolly good Charlotte. Did they have any useful information concerning Tessa?" I asked eagerly.

"They did." Charlotte paused.

"Well, that's good news is it not?" I pressed.

"They had an ancient vague prophecy that a creature –a type of shape shifter- would eventually be_"

"And so it was. Tessa was born," I interrupted. "But I don't understand, you say this as if it's a bad_"

"Not born. Created." Charlotte amended quietly.

I felt my eyes widen. "_Created_? You mean to say Tessa was brought into this world…unnaturally?"

Charlotte nodded slowly, her grave eyes watching me carefully.

"This means Tessa doesn't have parents. She has a creator. An _owner_." I said slowly, narrowing my eyes as I thought.

Charlotte seemed to tense slightly, as if preparing for a tremendous shock or a powerful blow. She was staring at me, her eyes monitoring my every move, her head set firmly, expectantly.

But _what_ was she expecting?

And then, with a sickening lurch in my already uneasy stomach, the penny dropped.

"No." I rose from my kneeling position and staggered back a step. "It can't be."

Charlotte stretched agilely over the side of the chair and caught my wrist before I tripped over the curled up corner of the elaborate rug and pulled me close to her.

"Its Cam." She whispered. "Cam is her creator."

**Tessa POV.**

"_I beg your pardon?"_ I asked coldly, although I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to be told again.

"I am your creator_" Cam repeated. I wasn't sure whether he was deliberately ignoring the cold fury in my voice or simply couldn't hear it.

"You can't be." I interrupted. "I have a _family_, a brother for crying out loud! I was _born_. I can't be _created_." I spat the word out like it was filth.

Cam frowned. "You are adopted Tessa. You have been foolishly indoctrinated into thinking that you were put on this earth for anything but a productive purpose."

"Productive to who?" I snapped, slamming down my knife and fork.

Cam mimicked my actions. "The time for you to find out what your purpose is will soon come, but that time isn't now."

"I fail to see how _you_, Sir, have any say in when I deserve to find out my true purpose." I hissed.

"Since _I_ am the man who created you." He retorted, and I cringed. "Now lets eat our dinner and forget about this awful business."

I shoved my plate away from me, the food holding no appeal to me. "I'm not hungry."

Cam sighed and beckoned Mrs Dark over. "Take the plates. Bring the desert."

Mrs Dark snatched the plates up off the table and moved disjointedly towards the double wooden doors that separated the kitchen from the dinning room.

"I do not wish fro desert either." I folded my hands tightly in my lap.

"What do you wish for?" he asked, as Mrs Black entered the room and placed two small bowls of sorbet in front of us.

"I want answers." I said simply.

Cam rolled his eyes, picking up his spoon and stabbing his sorbet. "Of course you do. What answers would you like?"

"Its not a question of liking answers it's a need for answers." I replied stiffly.

Cam waved his hand dismissively. "Technicalities mean little to me. What do you _need_ to know?"

I scowled, not finding his patronizing manor at all redeeming. "Well, lets begin with an easy less dire one shall we?" I stared evenly at him. "You are my creator, which if we ignore the technicalities, which after all mean little to you," I added as he opened his mouth to interrupt. "You are, for all intents and purposes, my father."

He stared at me, lowering his spoon dazedly back into the bowl.

"Why would you want to marry your 'daughter'?"

His confused look vanished and he leaned back in his chair. "You are a creation that has never been invented before Tessa, many people, like the Gabriel family, are eager to claim you falsely as their own. I thought what better way to claim you then to have a legal ceremony?" he smirked at me.

I felt sick. "You're despicable." I stated flatly.

Cam's face hardened. "I wanted something. I created something that makes it possible. And now I'm clinging to the thing that will soon triumph my plan. I fail to see the despicable quality of that."

***Outside Cam's castle, Normal POV***

Will moved agilely though the dark undergrowth of the forest surrounding the east side of Cam's castle. His black hair was matted with blood and grit but he ignored the unsanitary feel of it sticking to his forehead as he flattened himself against the stonewall of Cam's domain.

He peeped round the corner of the castle and saw with disdain that a small army of demons were surrounding the most accessible entry into the castle.

Scrubbing a hand down his face, Will thought hard.

And then the most wonderful idea came to mind. Breathing in shallow breaths as to not alert the demons of his presence, he sunk low to the muddy ground and commando crawled past them.

It was a slow, painful process, as the weight of his body being pressed so tightly together pulled at the cuts on his shoulders and back, but he reached the corner of the castle and dragged himself behind the wall.

Creeping cautiously forward, he made his way towards a patch of light shining through a window about two meters ahead. His black sturdy boots were caked with blood and dust but they never faltered to catch a grip on the uneven gravel.

Ducking low to the floor, he peeped up from under the windowsill with calm blue eyes. His heart leapt as he saw Tessa glaring at Cam in the dim candle lighting of what appeared to be a dinning room.

She looked unharmed but he noticed that she looked rather angry and slightly deranged. Rather than risk loosing a fairly adequate position if he needed to jump in and quickly protect Tessa he ignored his sense of finding a way into the castle and settled down to listen to the intense conversation that was taking place in the large room.

***At the institute, Normal POV***

"What does Cam want with Tessa now? I mean, there is obviously a reason as to why she was created but why did he let her go in the first place if he was so obsessed with her?" Jem asked, tugging at his soft silver hair.

"We do not know. We never went into any more detail than that. We just didn't seem to find it necessary at the time. I wish to God we had asked now." Charlotte said rather angrily.

Henry slipped an arm round her shoulder comfortingly. "Don't blame yourself Lottie. This isn't your fault."

"Of course not." Jem agreed. "It isn't anybody's fault. We just have to find a way to salvage the situation."

"I think we should contact Benedict Lightwood. The Lightwood's are the only other family that is aware of Tessa's origin besides the members of the Enclave meeting." Charlotte said. "Henry, please pass me the phone."

"We need to find Will and Tessa." Jem mumbled softly, a fierce longing burning in his silver eyes at the thought of him missing out on a chance to protect his friends. His parabatai and Tessa, who was close enough to being his sister as any blood relative.

"Strange." Charlotte muttered as she balanced the phone on the edge of Henry's cluttered desk. "There was no answer. Their butler said that they hadn't been present all evening."

"Most peculiar." Henry agreed.

"Well now it's down to us to do something. We have to assist Will and Tessa somehow_" a blood-curdling scream had the three shadowhunters racing across the room, and out into the hallway.

"Jessie!" Charlotte shouted. "Jessie where are you?"

Jem pumped his arms faster, gaining more speed than Charlotte or Henry and he managed to grab the wooden banister and pull himself up the stairs.

He didn't hear Charlotte's feet hit the carpeted stairs over the roaring of his own blood in his ears but instantly knew that she was taking the stairs two at a time, easily gaining on him. Charlotte was very protective of Jessamine and the other occupants of the Institute and Jem knew she wouldn't rest until everyone of them was safe.

Charging down the dimly lit corridor until he reached the door, which hid the screaming, he clutched his cane tightly in his hand, and threw the door open.

He moved swiftly into the room, his silver eyes flashing, and the muscles in his arms flexing. His eyes were instantly drawn to the open bathroom door and the scene splayed out in front of it.

"_Gabriel_?" Jem gasped, dropping his menacing stance with the cane.

"James." Gabriel said, looking confused and slightly worried. "I_"

"Jem! Please help!" Jessamine was on her knees, her hair soaking wet and a silk dressing gown wrapped round her small frame. A dark wool blanket was laying half on, half off her body, as if it had been thrown over her head and her wet hair was mused, as if she had struggled to pull the blanket off her. Her wrist was clutched tightly in Gabriel's hand and she looked absolutely terrified

"What are you doing?" Jem demanded. "Let go of her."

"Gabriel, hurry up. What in the world is taking so long? Grab the girl quickly. We must_"

"Grab what girl Benedict?" Charlotte's voice was hard as steel as she entered the room, a sharp knife brandished in her tiny yet deadly fist.

Benedict emerged rather sheepishly from outside the bedroom window. "Charlotte. What are you doing here?"

Charlotte laughed disbelievingly. "Its my institute is it not? And you will tell me what it is you require that makes you feel the need that you can intrude in this way."

There was an awkward moment of silence where nobody knew what to do or say. But then, as if the pressure had finally got its claws into him, Gabriel blurted, "We just want the girl."

"Gabriel!" Benedict scolded.

"Who? Jessie?" Jem frowned, confused.

"No, the other one. The creature."

Charlotte exploded. "Tessa? Why would you want Tessa? Why can't people just leave her be?"

"I heard them talking. They want Tessa for some sort of plan. They want to claim her before Cam does. They obviously hadn't realised that Cam still has here in his_" Jessamine was struggling to escape Gabriel's grip and her voice was trembling yet very indignant.

"No, Jessie, stop talking!" Charlotte shouted.

But it was too late. The Lightwood's had heard and with one look at each other, Gabriel was rushing blindly towards the window and Benedict was reaching forward to grab his son.

Quicker than the naked eye could comprehend, Charlotte was in front of Benedict, grabbing his arm in a vice like grip, and having the element of surprise, managed to over balance him and yank him through the window.

With a quick punch to the jaw and a knee in the kidney, Benedict was pinned to floor and wheezing.

"Father!" Gabriel yelled, stumbling back a step in surprise. Jem stepped forward, shoving Gabriel roughly into the corner of the room and positioning the marble ball at the end of the cane by the older boy's temple.

"I suggest not moving. One flick of my wrist and I could easily end you." Jem warned

"Let's get them downstairs for questioning. Move out the way Jessie." Charlotte ordered.

"I must say, I find it highly amusing, that when we were calling their home for help, they were breaking into ours." Jem chuckled tiredly as he beckoned Gabriel forward, grinning wickedly as he did so.

**Chapter end.**

**Bet y'all didn't see that one coming did ya? Huh? Huh? Huh?**

**I was going to make it longer but then I thought you'd already had a lot of knew information to process so I left it at this part :)**

**Reviews anyone? Please?**


	9. Rescue Me

**Chapter nine- Rescue me **

**Tessa POV**

I felt sick.

A burning churning ball of acid was coating the insides of my stomach, bubbling up into my throat. I swallowed gingerly and scowled at Cam, _my creator_. The word sent a grotesque shiver down my spine, and created a sour taste in my mouth.

_I wanted out._

But I needed to get rid of Cam before I could do that.

Taking a deep calming breath I edged my way to the corner of the table and peered at a grand painting of Cam wielding some sort of sword in a cold, dark looking room. Unintentionally I found myself drawn into the painting. I squinted my eyes and analysed every detail of the image. "Where's that to?" I asked curtly, jerking my hand towards the painting.

He cleared his throat and rose from his chair, smoothing the front if his black dinner jacket down. "It's the weapons room. I have my finest set of weapons in there."

I raised my eyebrows and slid him a surprised look. "This painting is a room in this mansion?"

Cam nodded proudly. "Of course."

"Hmm." I studied the picture again, trying to memorise a certain weapon, or a certain pattern on the wall…anything.

"Now, shall we finish eating?" Cam gestured towards the table with our half eaten deserts sitting daintily on the grand silver platters.

I followed him obediently to out chairs and allowed him to tuck my chair under the table for me. The sorbet was almost liquid now, the heat from the candles on the table melting the chilled desert. Picking my spoon up carefully, I dipped it into the dish and glanced up under my lashes to see that Cam was also eating.

When I was sure his attention wasn't focussed intently on me I gripped my bowl tightly in my gloved hands and slid forward to the edge of my chair, being as quiet as possible as to not rustle the satin layers of my dress too much.

"Cam honey?" I called sweetly, surprising him into looking up at me. He clearly wasn't expecting me to co-operate anymore after my little display of loathing for him earlier on.

I threw the bowl at his head, cringing slightly as I head the hard ceramic material smash into his temple. He slumped back in his seat, eyes rolling back into his head a little from the impact. I dug my feet into the ground, shoving myself out of my seat and pushed the table with all my might, grinding it roughly along the floor, until it reluctantly blocked Cam from getting out of his chair for a few moments at least.

But that small amount of time was all I needed.

I shuffled along the floor until I reached the heavy oak door, I paused there for only seconds so that I could flick off my noisy heeled shoes, and then I eased the door open hardly daring to breath. I peeked out, tucking my loose hair firmly behind my ears, trying to spot the demons that were undoubtedly on guard.

They were hunched over each other at the bottom of the corridor, grunting loudly.

I spied their weapons propped up against the wall next to them and I hoped I could make it to the stairs before they noticed me and started shooting.

Taking short shallow breaths, I pressed my back against the cold stonewalls and slid silently down the hallway. I was so focussed on watching the demons that I lost my footing and caught my toes on my other ankle. I tumbled to the ground, biting back a scream as my elbow cracked against the floor.

I frantically shoved my hair back off my face, praying that the demons hadn't heard me. Luckily they were still grunting moodily at each other.

Gasping down a few claming breaths I pushed my self up off the floor, taking extra care in planting my feet firmly under me. I pressed my hand firmly against the rough wall and slid my foot along the floor, cringing as the ice cold stone turned my foot tingly, sharp shooting pains stabbing in the instep and the ball of my foot.

Hopping quickly forward, I hoisted my skirts up around my knees and reached out, fingers stretching for the banister on the stairs when my knee buckled and smashed into the wall. I fell to the ground, cursing and spluttering, groping blindly for a way forward, when a surprised snarl filled the air, shredding the silence to pieces.

I stared up through the curls that had fell over my eyes, meeting the demons angry expression with a glare of my own. Scrabbling forward, I threw out a hand, winding my fingers tightly round the hilt of the demons sword. I jerked it tightly to my chest; barely avoiding the demons outstretched hand before I pushed back onto my heels and flipped the blade upwards, driving it into the demons exposed chest. Black blood dribbled from the wound, squirting outwards onto my face.

I jerked back, pulling the sword along with me. The blade was slick with black blood, it ran down the blade, pooling when it hit the hilt before overflowing and coating my fingertips in blood.

A hard blow struck my face, propelling it to the side. I threw up a hand, slamming it into the wall, my head slamming into it. My vision swam momentarily, but I had enough sense to lift the sword up off the floor and swipe it blindly down through the air. Through my watering eyes, the three demons that were blurrily swaying in front of me, leapt back.

I growled low in my throat as it reached a hand backwards, groping for its weapon. I threw myself forward, landing in an awkward heap due to the hindrance of my dress, but I was close enough to touch the weapon, and I hurled it blindingly fast, sending it sailing through the air until it crashed into the far wall and clattered to the ground.

The demon gave a guttural growl before swinging its arms up to deliver what could only be a lethal blow to my head. I blindly jerked my head back, thrusting the sword I had kept clutched close to me outwards, praying I hit a critical artery or joint or, God, _anything!_

The demon pitched forward, black blood spraying uncontrollably from the wound puncturing its shoulder. I wrenched the blade from its skin and rolled groggily to the side. The demon crashed down next to me, snarling and writhing violently.

Pushing up off the floor and staggering into the wall to gain my balance, I fisted my hands around the hilt of the sword, ignoring the dull burning sensation of the demon blood, drew the blade high up above my head before driving it down into the demons back. The sword squelched as it punctured the tough skin, before it finally touched the floor, preventing me from driving it in any farther. The demon jerked once, its whole body going taught before it started spasming, and a scary pool of black blood started forming around the creature's torso.

Turning quickly towards the stairs feeling more than a little sickened, I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand to help clear my vision and then I was leaping up the stairs, hiking my ruined dress up around my waist not caring how indecent I looked.

All I could think about was survival.

I launched myself round the corner and sprinted down the dark corridor until I reached a little bay window. Ducking low to the ground, I crawled forward till I was under the sill well out of sight of anything unpleasant. I gulped air into my lungs as I smoothed my hair back off my hot face. My hands were smeared with dried blood, and the black liquid was crusting around my nails. I let out a little hysterical sob and drew my knees to my chest.

Footsteps sounded along the corridor, and I tensed, belatedly remembering that I had failed to check for any other demons after killing the two downstairs.

_Stupid girl_, I chided myself.

The heavy footfalls ceased and I held my breath, not daring to move when I didn't know the precise location of the enemy. God knows what could be behind that wall…

Minutes past and nothing happened.

Tensing my body, I took a deep breath, trying to barely move my chest before curling my legs around the side of me and leaning forward, raising one hand to hold the tangled mass of hair off my face as I slowly titled my body forward to peak around the corner off the wall.

The corridor was clear. My shoulders slumped and I let a smile grace my lips before I sat back on my haunches, basking in the relief that nothing was there.

I was safe.

I giggled, giddy with relief, until the echoes of my laughter trilled loudly in the deserted corridor. I clamped a hand over my mouth, collapsing back against the sill hiccupping gently.

I rose to my feet, dropping my hands from my mouth once my breathing was back under control. I walked forward, preparing to dash down the corridor when the hitching of someone's breath halted me.

_What is that?_

A hand grabbed my shoulder, no not a hand, a claw, and I was yanked off my feet, jerked backwards into a bear hug. Strong arms closed around my stomach and waist, preventing me from getting up. I swung my head blindly from side to side until a face appeared in my peripheral vision.

I choked on a half scream. The face was mangled; bits of rotting flesh dangled from the cheekbones and the eye sockets sagged far too low down the face to be able to hold any decent eyes. A small yellow ball was rolling continuously round in the right socket, with a red slash in the centre of it.

_Oh God that's its pupil_…I thought dazedly.

The demon opened its mouth, and ropes off spit hung from its jaws. Two sets of vicious looking points lined the demon's mouth and I kicked my legs violently as the two protruding fangs pierced my shoulder and sunk deep into the muscle.

I writhed in its tight grip, tears dribbling down my blackened cheeks, tickling my jaw as they met at my chin before plunging off into the depths of my cleavage. I desperately wanted to scream for help but I knew that it was pointless- no one would come, except maybe more demons.

Lashing my head to the side away from the demons face, I tried to dislodge its fangs from my skin, but it only clenched its jaw making me sag under the agony as the teeth burrowed deeper into my muscle. My eyes rolled my back into my head a little as the demon tensed its arms, the action squeezing the air out of me.

Thinking frantically, I scrabbled my fingers along its side searching for it's weak spot- it's Achilles heel. I moaned as my fingers only encountered the cold hilt of the sword strapped to its hip.

But then, I wrapped my fingers clumsily round the hilt of the sword and yanked it upwards, freeing it from its sheath.

Hurling my arm across my chest, I plunged the blade deep into the creature's shoulder, gagging as hot black liquid oozed from the wound dripping onto my own shoulder and gliding down my arm.

I don't know what caused me to act so quickly. The motion was too quick and sudden to comprehend until it was done. All I know is that the offence was impulsive, strangely instinctive and it worked. The demon's jaws flew open, and the sudden release caused my injury to start squirting blood into the air, as if it were a fountain. Red blood mixed with black until it turned a murky purple colour, pooling at my feet in a glistening puddle.

Mustering the remaining ounce of strength I had, I yanked the blade from its bed in the demon's shoulder and had a small second to admire my aim since it only missed my own head by inches, before I was digging the blackened blade into the creature's exposed neck.

It screeched and threw its claw-like hands up around its neck, effectively releasing me and I smashed into the floor with an agonizing jolt.

I rolled blindly away from the creature, which was jerking and fitting uncontrollably before its slumped to its knees, coughing and spluttering up black gunk.

I wretched, my eyes watering at the sight before I vomited on the floor, blood and bile splattering the stones.

I pushed backwards with my hands, shoving myself weakly away from the vomit and the now still demon until I hit a wall. I lay there, panting and heaving and gagging.

My sobs echoed down the deserted corridor, so loud that I almost didn't hear the thundering footfalls of the approaching army.

Clutching a bloody hand to my mouth, I choked back sobs and clawed my way to my feet then turning wildly and blundering my way to the end of this corridor.

I didn't give myself chance to choose left or right at the end of the corridor, I swung myself round the left hand corner, using one arm to guide me forward while the other clutched the wound on my back, trying to starch the blood flow.

I threw a frantic glance over my shoulder, spying the army of shadows that would soon be upon me if I didn't hurry up and get out of sight.

I yelped as I hit the floor, my body landing awkwardly on the first threw stone steps of a set of what looked like ten steps. I scrambled up them, panting.

I bundled my dress up into my remaining arm and ran gracelessly down the short corridor, whimpering as my harsh movements jolted my shoulder, causing a hard spurt of blood to squeeze out from between my fingers and dribble down my back.

The hallway was lined with six doors, three on either wall.

Giddily, I seized the first doorknob and hurled the door open. The room was too dark to see in.

Running to the next one, I barged threw the door, not caring what could be inside. Good Lord, I just needed to _sit_ down!

I reeled back as I caught sight of a lump concealed by a rumpled blanket. From the dimming glow of a candle on the nightstand I realised with horror that the lump was a demon, and it was tide to the bed with its head cut open and brain half torn from its bedding within the skull.

Sobs wracked my body as I tripped over my tattered dress in my haste to leave the room. _What the hell _is_ that?_

Zigzagging across the narrow hallway, I fell against the door and cracked my knuckles to try and control the shaking jerking them uncontrollably. Clasping the doorknob in my cold hand, I eased the door open and stepped uncertainly inside.

My heart leapt as I realised the room I was in.

The weapons room from the painting downstairs.

_Perfect_, I thought groggily, only vaguely remembering the plan I had concocted earlier on at dinner.

I staggered round the room, running my fingers along the tables and walls, trailing blood in their wake but not caring as I strapped weapons to my battered body.

An animalistic shriek interrupted me strapping a dagger to my left calf. Straightening up, I pushed my knotted brown curls off my face and glanced round, squinting groggily for a place to hide.

I could hear the doors squeaking from out in the corridor as the demons threw open the doors, inspecting the rooms and letting out a frustrated scream when they didn't find me.

Sweat started to bead on my forehead as the heavy footfalls of the demons' pounded down the corridor…towards me.

My eyes flickered around the room, quickening anxiously as a snarl ripped through the air directly outside the door.

The knob rattled.

I lunged across the room just as the door gave a groan of protest as a jagged curved blade was rammed through the wood. I yanked open the cupboard door and quickly inspected its innards before sweeping my arm inside, swiping all the thigh and back sheaths to one side.

The door gave another mournful groan as the wood splintered some more.

I clambered into the confined space, tucking my legs in tight to my chest, bunching my skirts up around my arms, folding them messily under my armpits and under my legs until I was sure they were all concealed.

The doorknob rattled again, more impatiently this time.

I gently teased the cupboard door shut using my jagged fingernails.

Silence.

I held my breath as I strained my ears for any sound of movement.

I could hear nothing.

But surely they wouldn't have just given up on the search…?

The door crashed into wall, creating a noise so thunderous I was surprised people from the town –providing there _was_ a town near by- didn't hear it and come running.

Heavy breathing whispered through the air, and the distinct sound of skin on skin could be heard. The demons must be moving into the room.

I closed my eyes and fisted my hands at my mouth, not daring to do anything in fear of being caught.

My name is Tessa Gray. I am sixteen years old. I am living in London Institute with Jem Carstairs, Will Herondale, Jessamine Lovelace, Charlotte Branwell and Henry Branwell. I am a riddle wrapped up in a mystery…a question that has never been posed before. I want to know who I am. What I was created for…

I opened my eyes to an eerie peacefulness to the room.

I slowly moved my hands from my mouth, tasting blood where I pressed my lip too hard against my teeth, and gently lay a finger on the cupboard door, preparing to push it open when heavy panting occupied the air outside the cupboard door. I flinched back, biting my tongue on a scream.

No light was streaming into the confined space any longer. I couldn't even see to make out a shadow through the small crack where both doors meet.

I felt like I was suspended in air, not knowing when I was going to drop but my stomach still having that sickening clench of anticipation of the inevitable. Finally, the demon moved away, and the door was slammed closed.

I let a stream of air blow out of my nose, trying to make as minimal noise as possible.

_What if some of those things were still out there…waiting…?_

But no noise came from outside the cupboard, and my legs were starting to cramp from the lack of movement, so I gently pushed open the cupboard door, only to jump back when the weapons room door flew open, ricocheting back off the wall with a thud.

I jerked the cupboard door closed again, curing my injured finger into a fist and clenching my jaw against the pain pounding in my back, where I hit the back of the cupboard.

The sharp sudden movement stretched the skin on my shoulders wide and blood started to run down my back again. The light-headedness from my previous blood loss hit me like a slap in the face after venturing out into the cool night air after drinking too much, instant and inevitable.

_So this is how intoxicated men feel after a night at the pub_, I thought giddily, letting my head drop onto the floor of the cupboard.

My eyes fluttered closed, my breathing becoming steady and deep as I lay quivering in the small cramped space that was concealing me from the outside terrors.

A shiver of pure dread swept down my spine as once again, the small stream of light squeezing through the tiny gaps between the doors of the cupboard disappeared and soft breathing was whispering gently through the air.

Squeezing my eyes tighter together, I struggled to keep my breathing regular when a consuming tightness to my throat only made it painfully _obvious_ that someone was stealing my oxygen.

Not being able to stand the darkness any longer, I jerked my eyes open and stared at the cupboard doors.

A luminous green eye glowed menacingly through the gap in the cupboard, and I felt my eyes widen and my muscles tense as I realised it could only _be_ one person.

Cam.

Before I could react, I was falling abruptly against the cupboard doors, but they didn't open. Gleeful shrieks could be heard from the demons, as I hammered against the cupboard doors.

They still wouldn't open.

It was then that it dawned on me. The cupboard had been overturned.

I was trapped.

"Let me out!" I screamed, banging on the sides of the cupboard. "Let me out!"

A gleeful taunting lilt saturated Cam's voice as he spoke, "Now Tessa, do be quiet. Your using up valuable oxygen in that confined space of yours."

I whimpered, and thrashed round harder. The only problem was, there wasn't much room to thrash round effectively.

"Why are you doing this?" I snarled.

Cam laughed; it was a rich gloating sound, filled with self-power and no remorse. My jaw clenched.

"Because, my darling, _you belong to me_."

"I am my own person, and no one shall own me like some possession!" I growled.

I yelped, tumbling ungracefully out of the cupboard when it was suddenly lifted upwards and tilted, the doors flying wide open, leaving me with nothing to prevent my fall.

"Ugh!" I hissed, as I pushed up off the floor till I was propped up on my arms, my joints stretched to their full extent.

And then Cam was ducking down on his haunches, his face looming in mine. "Think what you like, my love," He fisted his hand in my hair and hauled me upwards, so that I was bent back onto my knees. "But you have promised to stay with me, and stay you shall."

I glared defiantly up at him.

"Next time you wish to run for a little bit of freedom Tessa, try doing it without the dramatic blood trail- it is most conspicuous."

"I will do what I see fit." I retorted, pulling free from his grasp. "I do not answer to you_"

"No, she answers to me. Tessa darling, do get up off the floor, you look most awkward."

I whipped round, along with everyone else in the room and stared, wide eyed and completely shocked, at the newest addition to out little party.

"What is he doing here?" Cam roared, his hands flying up into the air.

Will stood in the doorway, looking handsome as ever, and blazingly angry, almost deadly.

I slowly rose from the floor, still staring at Will.

"Yes, lovely to see you again." Will smirked at Cam, and Cam snarled something.

Deciding to take control of the situation, I griped Cam by the shoulder and jerked him round to face me. "He's here to distract them, while I do this." And I unsheathed the dagger strapped to my thigh hidden under my now ruined pink dress, plunging it deeply into Cam's side.

He groaned and buckled, falling to the floor.

And then demons charged from the outskirts of the room and threw themselves at me. I ducked and dodged, throwing knives and delivering blows, and as I glanced over my shoulder I caught sight of Will doing much the same moves.

He was fascinating to watch. The way he moved was a graceful as the flutter of a butterfly's wings, his movements precise and shockingly fast. The silver of the sword's blade was a blur, only being spotted by the human eye when it was buried deep into a demon's chest.

"Noooo!" Cam was screaming, looking wildly round the room at his rapidly falling army.

His green eyes met mine, full of venom and betrayal, and I anticipated his next move just as he made it. I missed the tails of his dinner jacket flapping out behind him as he dashed to the door, his shoes splattered with demon blood.

I lunged after him, my bare feet slipping in the patches of demon blood and my back protesting but I gripped the battered door and pulled myself forward.

A hand caught my elbow, a touch so light it sent shivers rippling up my arm. I turned to glare at Will. "Let me go." I demanded,

"Leave him. We must leave now. DUCK!" He added with such authority that I dived to the ground. A demon dropped down beside me, its mouth gaping open and its teeth bared in a furious snarl.

Will heaved me off the ground, pushing me out the door while fending off an attacking demon. Taking full advantage of his distraction I wrenched free from his grasp and pounded down the corridor.

"Tess!" Will shouted, his voice burning with intensity for reasons I couldn't begin to fathom. _Why did he even come back? He was using me…_

I shook my head fiercely, banishing all thoughts of Will-after all they do me no good- as I continued to rush down the corridor.

A bang echoed down the corridor and I whirled round, a hand subconsciously flying to my chest. A window was flapping open, tapping against the walls, the cool night air rushed in, sweeping over my flushed skin and chilling me to the bone. I slowly moved backwards, eyeing the window as if it had done me a wrongness before turning back round and continuing down the hallway. I clutched the sword tightly in my hand, tensing my arms to control the shakes rolling through them.

Another gust of wind sent the windows ricocheting back against the stonewalls clanging harshly, the glass shattering from the blow. I leapt backwards, pressing my back against the wall as the glass rained down, tinkling as it hit the floor.

As if in synchronisation, the candles dotted along the corridor snuffed out, plunging me into darkness. A gasp caught in my throat, as I raised my sword up pointing it outwards for protection.

Slowly stepping forward on the balls of my feet, I crept lightly along the hallway until my outstretched sword tapped gently against an obstacle, and my outstretched fingers brushed lightly against wood. I trailed them down the wood, frantically searching for a doorknob to open the door.

Chills were sweeping over my skin, raising the hair on my arms and the back of my neck; shivers shook my fingers so hard I almost dropped my sword.

I had that awful feeling that something was creeping up on me, something horrible and evil and infernal_

I swung round blindly lifting my sword just as two glowing red eyes lurched forward out of the darkness, and then a demon was shrieking and clawing at me. I grunted as I swung my sword round in a wide sweeping arc. The shrieking ceased, dulled to a muffled thud as the creature's head hit the floor and rolled till it bumped against the door.

I muffled a gag that sounded much like a strangled sob, and kicked the head using the pale glow seeping under the door to guide my move away from me, and then continued to charge through the door, collapsing in a heap in the room when the door gave way to my assault.

I lay there for a moment, gulping down air and muffling a groan as the injury to my back once again started to leak blood.

"You really are fearless, aren't you Tessa? Fearless but highly stupid. Pursuing me like this, on your own, is a highly irresponsible decision." Cam's voice was loud and clear, but the weakness from his earlier injury was still evident.

I spluttered out a laugh. "You think so?" I moved myself so that I was sitting in a much more comfortable position on my bottom. "And here I was thinking that you were the one person that I was undeniably safe with. How silly of me."

I watched with a gleeful rather childish satisfaction as Cam glared murderously at me. "Do not test me Tessa. I do not wish for you to die, but I never guaranteed no harm would come to you. Now please stop being foolish or you _will_ force my hand."

I dug my sword into the hard stone ground and leaned my weight on it, so that all my weight was concentrated on the sword and my bottom, not my back that was screaming in agony. "Don't worry," I smiled sweetly. "You won't have to make any drastic decisions…"

"Oh really? And why is that?" Cam raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Under my dress I discreetly tensed my leg muscles. "Because, my Lord, I will be making them first." And then I pushed up form the floor onto my sword and pounced at Cam.

**End chapter.**

**A very angsty chapter to celebrate the new year but, well, what's life without a little angst and blood, eh?**

**Sorry for the long wait guys. Life's been keeping me on my toes :) Hope you enjoyed the chapter- review to let me know how it was?**

**Big thanks to all who reviewed last chapter! You're all awesome!**


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